Dispenser



Jam 26, 1943v J. s. BONANDER 2,309,234

v DISPENSER I Filed April 19, 1941 BYCQWZAQMJ ATTORNEY Patented `Ian. 26, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSER John S. Bonander, Camino, Calif.

Application April 19, 1941, Serial No. 389,347

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to means for dispensing granular material such as sugar, salt, or the like in which a measured amount of material isobtained upon tilting or inverting of the dispenser. The invention is concerned more particularly with the provision of an improved con-v struction of this character which can be manufactured economically and which provides a simple, reliable machine for insuring accurate measuring of the desired amount.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved dispenser for dispensing measured amounts of granular material such as sugar upon tilting of the dispenser from` an upright po sition to a tilted or inverted position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of the character referred to having an improved trap chamber construction which insures accurate measurement of the desired amount of material.

Other objects and advantages oi' the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a vertical, sectional view through the dispenser taken in a plane at right angles to the trap chamber construction, as indicated by the line I-l in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation taken in a plane indicated by the line s 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the dispenser.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken in planes indicated by the line 4 4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 5-5 in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing, the dispenser includes an upright casing I which may be formed of Bakelite or other suitable material. The casing has a lid I hinged thereto as at I2. The casing I0 may be provided with a lip I3 at the intermediate portion of the hinge joint to insure a seal at this point. A suitable fastening device or clip I4 may be provided for the lid II.

As previously pointed out, the dispenser is of the type which is tilted from an upright to an inverted position for dispensing operation. To form the dispensing conduit and trap chamber an insert or partition member I is removably seated in the casing IIJ adjacent side wall I6 thereof. Side wall I6 is provided with a recess which with the wall Il of insert member I5 forms a tapering discharge conduit I8 which leads to a discharge spout |8a. The insert member I5 is provided with side walls 2| which seat between retaining projections or ears 22 on the adjacent side walls of the container Ill. Adjacent its upper end each wall 2| of the insert member is provided with a round projection. 23 which is seated in a similar depression in the side wall of the container. Side walls or flanges 2| are of sufficient resilience to yield upon insertion or removal of the partition member. At its upper portion, the wall I1 is provided with a handle 24 to allow removal and insertion of the insert member. y

As previously stated, the insert member I5 and the casing I0 cooperate to provide a trap chamber of advantageous construction which chamber is indicated at 3|. The chamber is located adjacent and extends across a lower corner portion of the casing between wall I6 of the casing and an upright partition 32 extending between side walls 2| of the insert member. The partition 32 is provided with an inclined upper face 33 providing a V-shaped feed opening with the adjacent portion of the wall I'l for the entrant portion of the trap chamber 3|. 'Ihe wall 32 is provided with an inclined surface 34 immediately below upper surface 33 and forming therewith a V- shaped projection from partition 32. Surface 34 is opposed to an inclined lip 33 formed at the lower edge cf the wall to form an entrance passage providing a reversing or zigzag path of iiow leading to the trap chamber 3|. The wall 35 and th'e wall 34 are preferably inclined slightly less than with respect to the bottom wall of the casing.

About the trap chamber 3| the wall I6 is provided with a thickened portion 31 which facilitates feeding of material from the trap chamber to the discharge conduit I8.

In operation with the dispenser upright as shown in Figure l, and with a supply of sugar in the container to a suitable level as indicated at 38, the sugar will flow between the wall I1 and the partition 32 in a reverse or zigzag path into the trap chamber 3| where it may assume a suitable level of repose as indicated at 39 for example. Upon tilting of the container in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 1, the partition 32 prevents any flow of the material which is horizontally disposed with respect to the trap chamber 3| and as the casing is tilted to around 35 to 40, for example, the lip 36 becomes horizontal and with the partition 32 begins to cut oil the iicw of material which was originally disposed vertically above the trap chamber. At the` same time, the material within the trap chamber starts to flow out through' the discharge conduit I8.

Further tilting of the dispenser completely shuts off the flow through the entrant portion of the trap chamber while the material within the dispenser rests against the upper wall I I and the wall I1 of the insert member. Consequently, when the dispenser is again restored to upright position, any remaining sugar even though small in quantity will slide down the Wall I1 and into the trap chamber. Thus the dispenser can be operated continuously until the supply of material is completely depleted.

I claim:

1. In a dispenser of the character operable by tilting from an upright position to dispense measured amounts of divided material, a casing having a recessed side wall with saidrecess tapering upwardly from the bottom Wall of said casing, a partition member in said' casing having a partition wall engaging said recessed wall to form a conduit, said partition wall terminating at its lower end in an inclined lipspaced from said bottom Wall and div-erging from said recessed side wall, and a second partition wall on said partition member extending upwardly from the bottomwall of said casing in spaced relation from said rst partition Wall, said second partition wall having a projection adjacent its upper edge above said lip and cooperating therewith to provide a zig-zag path of flow therewith.

2. In a dispenser of the character operable by tilting from an upright position to dispense measured amounts of divided material, a casing having a recessed wall, and a partition member removably seated in said casing to form a discharge conduit with said recessed wall, a trap chamber formed by a lower portion of said. casing and said member. said chamber being in communication with said conduit and with the interior of said casing, said member providing opposed walls having parallel portions similarly inclined with respect to the vertical and spaced apart to provide a zigzag entrance passage to said trap chamber which reverses the path of flow of material thereto, said passage having its entrant end facing upwardly and opening directly into the interior of said casing to provide for gravity `feed of material thereto with said dispenser upright.

3. In a dispenser of the character operable by tilting from an upright position to dispense measured amounts of divided material, a casing having a recessed wall, and a partition member removably seated in said casing to form a discharge conduit with said recessed wall, a trap chamber formed by a' lower portion of said casing and said member, said chamber being in communication with said conduit and with the interior of said casing, said member providing opposed walls having parallel portions similarly inclined with respect to the vertical and spaced apart to provide a zig-zag entrance passage to said trap chamber which reverses the path' of flow of material thereto, said passage having its entrant end facing upwardly and opening directly into' the interior of said casing to provide for gravity feed of material thereto with said dispenser upright, one of said opposed Walls pro- 'Viding an upright bale to prevent undesired horizontal iiow of material upon tilting of said dispenser and the other of said walls providing a baille to prevent undesired downward now of material above said entrance passage upon tilting of said dispenser,

JOHN S. BONANDER. 

